Chapter 12
She was nervous. There were no two ways about it. In a moment, she was going to be in front of a priest, taking Spencer's hands, and they would be joined together for all eternity.
The only thing soothing was the fact that they had already done this before, and they would likely do it again.
She knew that her fate was already written. She firmly believed the fact that history would repeat itself, as it had done time and time again. She was going to be reincarnated, somehow, and it would only be after these headaches had killed her. She didn't know how, and she didn't know when. But she knew that they would, and soon. It was just the way it was written, and she felt comfort in that. Still, when she had planned her wedding from a young age, she hadn't planned it to be this way. She hadn't thought it would be alone, late at night, and rushed.
She wouldn't get a white dress, and she wouldn't get a fancy party. But she would marry Spencer, and that was all that mattered. The rest could wait for another lifetime.
“Are you ready?” he asked when she came out of the bathroom. It was the first church, the first priest, and the first dress they could find. It wasn't even a proper wedding dress, but it was what they could get with the stores only open for another hour. The church was dark, and Katianna wasn't sure what denomination it was. However, the smile in his eyes was enough.
“Yes,” she said, taking his hand. “I'm ready.”
“This way, my love,” he said, leading her down the aisle. There were a few candles lit, and Katianna felt it was unnerving but romantic at the same time. The priest looked half awake, making small talk with two altar boys who had been helping him with chores when they walked in and begged for a wedding. The boys would be the witnesses, and Katianna could only hope that one of them had a camera. She just wanted one picture of her wedding day–what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
“We're ready,” Spencer said to the priest. “You have your license? Our names?”
“Stand here,” the priest said, with a yawn. “Do you have rings?”
“We do,” Katianna said, handing over the bag they had put them in just two hours ago. “I hope they fit.”
“It doesn't matter,” Spencer assured her, and she felt warmth wash over. No matter how bad things got, he always made her feel better. “It only matters that we are together forever.”
“And we will be,” she assured him, a smile on her face. “We will be.”
They turned to the priest who cleared his throat, looking down at the lines he had said half a hundred times.
“Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people. The union of husband and wife is intended by God for their mutual joy, for the help and comfort given each other in prosperity and adversity, and, when it is God's will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.”
Spencer and Katianna looked into each other's eyes. He was hit with memories of the other three times they had done this. Once had been as grand a wedding as anyone could have wished for. Once had been rushed like this. And once, they had barely made it. She had been so sick then; it was her dying wish that they got married. Each time, he had been honored to be her husband, blessed for the moment she became his wife.
“Into this union, Katianna and Spencer now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now, or else forever hold your peace.”
Obviously, no one said anything. The altar boys shifted in their seats, uncomfortable. They had planned to be home an hour ago, Katianna had overheard. She knew there were many across the galaxy who might protest their union. She wondered what the conversation was like on Umora just then. Did they think she was making a rash choice? That she had just run from Cole?
She had made a mistake then, having been swept up in the romance of it all. But her real love, her reason for being, was standing right in front of her. She knew that she could never live without Spencer, no matter what others thought. She loved him more than she loved herself.
“I charge you both, here in the presence of God and the witness of this company, that if either of you know any reason why you may not be married lawfully and in accordance with God's word, do now confess it?”
“No,” Katianna replied. “There is absolutely no reason why we should not be married.” There hadn't been a rehearsal, but she felt like she had said these words before. She had, of course, in three other ceremonies. She had also spent half her childhood playing dress up, imagining this moment. Was that what she was remembering? Or was she remembering the moments that she had said it for real?
“No,” Spencer echoed. “There is absolutely no reason why we should not be married.”
She winced then, and he squeezed her hand. She shook her head, trying to smile.
“It's nothing,” she whispered. “Just another headache.”
“Do you need to sit down?” he asked. “Do you need to pause?”
“No.” She was firm on this. “I would like to continue.”
She turned to the priest, waiting patiently, and Spencer took a deep breath. Please, he sent a prayer up. Just a little longer.
“Katianna,” the priest turned to her, “will you have this man to be your husband, to live together with him in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto him as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” she said. “And beyond.”
The priest seemed confused by that answer, but he didn't question it. Instead, he continued with the script. “Spencer,” he turned to the man, “will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto her as long as you both shall live?”
“I will,” Spencer promised. “In this life and any other.”
Katianna smiled at him, knowing just what that meant. This felt right; this felt relaxing. This was what they were supposed to do. Maybe if they promised each other forever here, they wouldn't be so burdened by finding each other again and again. Maybe, she hoped feverishly, this would give them forever instead of constantly stopping and starting.
“Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?”
“We do,” the two altar boys said, prompted by the priest. Katianna smiled at them, nodding her thanks. Maybe in the next lifetime, they would be the adults and she would be the child.
“Bless, oh Lord, these rings as a symbol of the vows by which this man and this woman have bound themselves to each other; through Jesus Christ, our Lord,”
Both of them were holding each other's rings. Hastily bought, they didn't have a lot of choice. Katianna tried to make her ring look as different from the one Cole gave her as possible. However, due to lack of sizing in the store, it looked too similar for her liking. She vowed to make this time different as Spencer took her hand.
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”
It fit her finger perfectly and sparkled in the candle light. Her long fingers seemed made to wear a wedding ring and to symbolize how she belonged to him.
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” Katianna said as she put his thick, gold ring onto his strong finger.
“Now that Katianna and Spencer have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder,”
If there was a congregation, they would stand. However, it was only the two altar boys, and so the priest continued his speech.
“Let us stand and pray together the words our savior taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
“Amen,” everyone echoed. Her heart rate sped up; for she knew they were almost at the end. It was almost official; they almost belonged to each other.
“God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual grace, that you may faithfully live together in this life, and in the age to come have life everlasting. Amen. The peace of the Lord be with you always.”
“And also with you,” she whispered, knowing what comes next. She couldn't believe that this moment–this moment that she had dreamed about–had finally come.
“Katianna and Spencer, having witnessed your vows of love to one another, it is my joy to present you to all gathered here as husband and wife. Spencer, you may kiss the bride.”
He swept her down into a kiss, and she relaxed in his arms. Now, they were joined for the rest of this life.